The Great Poets and Their Theology

Overview

Revealing Strong’s deep knowledge and appreciation of the ‘literary immortals’ of Western literature, The Great Poets and their Theology discusses the work of nine poets with an eye to the theology expressed in their poetry.

Long before today's relevant religious commentators were discussing the theology found in secular movies like The Matrix, and U2's music, Augustus Strong was spending his summer vacations writing about the theological themes he found in Shakespeare, Wordsworth, Homer, Virgil, Dante, Milton, Goethe, Browning, and Tennyson.

The Great Poets and Their Theology will appeal to anyone who loves literature and also provide rich material for sermon illustration, as the author plumbs the depths of the poets' souls and comes up with some real gems.

Displaying a deep knowledge and appreciation of the "literary immortals" of Western literature, Strong discusses the work of nine poets with an eye to the theology expressed in their poetry. He states, "...the great poets, taken together, give united and harmonious testimony to the fundamental conceptions of natural religion, if not to those of the specifically Christian scheme...the study of all these poets is of the greatest advantage to theologians and preachers, as well as to the general seeker after truth. With the hope that old truths may gain new interest and brightness from an unfamiliar setting, the author submits to the public the fruits of his vacation work for the past thirteen years."

Excerpt

The essays which follow are summer recreations. The author is well aware that he does business on small capital, and that most of the capital is borrowed. He only hopes to repay what has been lent him, with the addition of some moderate interest.

It is not maintained that the poets are conscious theologians. In their vocation as seers, however, they have glimpses of truth in theology, as well as in philosophy and physics. From their higher point of view, indeed, they sometimes descry truths which are yet below the horizon of other thinkers. Poetical expressions of these truths are all the more valuable, because they are clothed in the language of feeling, and appeal to our sense of beauty.

The author is inclined to believe that the great poets, taken together, give united and harmonious testimony to the fundamental conceptions of natural religion, if not to those of the specifically Christian scheme. This testimony is cumulative, and it follows the law of evolution, by advancing from vague to clear. Even poets like Goethe, who proclaim another gospel, witness in spite of themselves to the truth as it is in Jesus.

There may be question what names deserve to be counted among those of the great poets. The author at first intended to include in the list only Homer, Virgil, Dante, Shakespeare, and Milton. Further study has convinced him that Wordsworth, Goethe, Browning, and Tennyson must be admitted to the company of the immortals.
Whatever judgment may be passed upon this point, he anticipates no dissent from the opinion that the study of all these poets is of the greatest advantage to theologians and preachers, as well as to the general seeker after truth. With the hope that old truths may gain new interest and brightness from an unfamiliar setting, the author submits to the public the fruits of his vacation work for the past thirteen years.

It remains only to be said that the first part of the paper on Browning was printed in “The Examiner,” of New York, in December, 1887; that on Milton, in “The Watchman,” of Boston, in March, 1897; those on Homer, Virgil, Dante, Shakespeare, Wordsworth, have appeared in “The Standard,” of Chicago, at various dates from 1887 to 1897; those on Goethe and Tennyson, together with the latter part of that on Browning, appear now for the first time.

A.H.S.
ROCHESTER, August 1, 1897

Contents

The Homeric Question and the Homeric Theology

Virgil, The Poet of the Roman Empire

Dante and the Divine Comedy

The Universality of Shakespeare; Milton

The Poet of the Protestant Reformation

Goethe, The Poet of Pantheism

Wordsworth, The Poet of Nature

Browning, His Poetry and His Theology

Tennyson, Poetry as Interpreting the Divine Order

Product Details

Author: Augustus Strong

Publication Date: 1897

Pages: 531

About Augustus Strong

In his day job, Augustus Strong was president and professor of Biblical theology at the Rochester Theological Seminary, and author of Systematic Theology. On summer vacations, he wrote about the theology of poetry.